Butterfly Group

The Butterfly Group is a uranium and vanadium mine located in Rio Blanco county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,999 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Butterfly Group

Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Primary: Vanadium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Rio Blanco
District: Coal Creek District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: John Dade
Years: 1976 -

Owner Name: J. R. J. Mining Co.
Years: 1976 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Method: Geophysical Anomaly
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Wyoming Basin

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: White River Uplift, Axial Basin Arch

Type: L
Description: Danforth Hills Anticline, Sulphur Creek Syncline, Unnamed Anticline

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sandstone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Name: Sandstone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Tyuyamunite
Ore: Carnotite

Comments

Comment (Production): BY 1971,6457 TONS HAD BEEN MINED AT GRADES OF 0.29% U308 AND 0.90% V205 PRODUCING 37,485 LBS OF U308 AND 115,596 LBS OF V205 (NELSON-MOORE AND OTHERS, 1978). CUMULATIVE TOTALS FOR U308 AND V205 ARE AEC REPORTED CUMULATIONS THROUGH 1971 PLUS ANNUAL TOTAL FROM COLO. DIV. MINES, 1976. COLO. DIV. MINES REPORTS LBS U308 AND V205 ONLY FOR 1958, 1959, AND 1976. REPORT FOR 1960 HAD NO PRODUCTION FIGURE.

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

References

Reference (Production): NELSON-MOORE AND OTHERS (1978); COLO. DIV. MINES ANN. OPERATOR REPTS

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J. L., COLLINS, D. B., AND HORNBAKER, A. L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 378

Reference (Deposit): TWETO, OGDEN, 1976, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE CRAIG 1 DEGREES X 2 DEGREES QUADRANGLE, NORTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-972, 1:250,000.

Colorado Mining Photos

Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.